1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a thermodynamic cycle and an apparatus for implementing the thermodynamic cycle for converting a portion of thermal energy associated with superheated stream of a multi-component fluid in a high efficient manner.
More particularly, the present invention relates to a thermodynamic cycle and an apparatus for implementing the thermodynamic cycle for converting a portion of thermal energy associated with superheated stream of a multi-component fluid in a high efficient manner, where the cycle utilizes four different compositions of the multi-component fluid and heats, vaporizes three of the compositional streams and superheats one of the compositional streams to form the superheated stream from which useable energy is produced. The cycle is designed to use with moderate temperature heat source stream.
2. Description of the Related Art
In U.S. Pat. No. 6,769,256, issued Aug. 31, 2004, a system is disclosed which utilizes heat from moderate and low temperature heat sources. This system is presented in three variants ranging from a highest efficiency and highest complexity variant, to a moderate variant, and finally to a lowest efficiency and lowest complexity variant. A detailed calculation of this system demonstrates than when the initial temperature of the heat source exceeds 325–330° F., the high complexity and moderate variants of the system (in which the working fluid is not fully vaporized, and the remaining liquid is recycled) degenerate and are thus in effect converted into the lowest complexity, lowest efficiency variant (in which all working fluid is vaporized).
Although prior systems for improving energy extraction from moderate temperature geothermal or other heat sources have been disclosed, there is still a need in the art for an improved and simplified system for energy extraction from moderate temperature sources.